Kraft paper envelopes

There's something about envelopes made from Kraft paper. There's a certain feel to them, and the neutral beige tends to be a perfect background for pretty much anything. And even though they seem plain, they still stand out from the usual white-enveloped bills that come in the mail.

I recently bought some for a mini-project, so now I have extras. 

These two were sent to Rebecca (in the UK) and Ana (in Brazil), with some artistamps added for fun.

I returned an add and pass sheet that Ana had sent ages ago.

With my additions...

Here's a collage I sent to Rebecca.

I also forwarded a doodle add and pass to her that Diane originated, and Jason sent to me.

I forgot to take a 'before' picture, so can you guess what doodle I added to this one?

100 years of DADA - part 2: the collages

Keeping in the spirit of DADA (I hope) I created collages from found objects, including an abandoned dictionary, a cigarette packet left to rot in the rain, and things in the bottom and side pockets of my backpack.

Here are the results.

An invitation

The 11-year plan

Soaring spirit

Things to do

For the kids

The path home

Two great traditions

In your words

100 years of DADA - part 1: the envelopes.

2016 (or 2015, depending on your definition) is the centenary of the birth of DADA, an anti-art, anti-bourgeoise, anti-establishment movement.

I attended an exhibit of Noah Purifoy's work titled JUNK DADA. I often use catalogs and promotional material to make my envelopes. This time I grabbed two full museum handouts to create 8 envelopes.

The back and front:

The centerfold:

This also includes my final bicycling stamp.

Bananas

A month ago I sent out banana mail.

This is what came in from:

Momkat

Angie & Snooky

Heleen one - bananas, minions and zentangles.

Helen two - can you believe it, this is a banana guard - it's huge, too big for the scanner. Love the stamps, too, particularly the cow.

Rebbeca (who forgot to sign hers and made me laugh)

stripygoose (a card and a minizine)

Linda F - this fab galactic winter banana ornament is huge - only just fit on the scanner

And bonus banana mail from Tomoe, who wasn't on the initial list. Sent in an envelope with a stamp dedicated to International Letting Writing Week. Included a couple of bonus pieces - love the african wild dogs - they look a bit like over ripe bananas!

Thanks, everyone!

Envelopes 276 & 277 - rothkos for rebecca & roland

I was searching for something to send Rebecca, and this Rothko envelope jumped out. As it was heading overseaes, I decided to add a few different stamps that, hopefully, have similar colors, rather than my usual habit of adding three of the same stamp.

Likewise, I was looking for something to send Roland to thank him for all his work on the great documentation for the Malerwinkelhaus mail art project.

The remaining Rothko envelopes caught my eye, but I didn't think I had good stamps for them. I finally went through the stamps one by one and I think these vintage seed packets are a great fit.

Bonus postcards

Another lovely stolen page from Hester.

A collage from Nancy - including some cyrillic printing, and music.

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A spontaneous card from Alyssum & Mudhead (IUOMA).

And this fun two-headed creature on the front telling me? to dream...

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Rebecca sent a double-sided collage as thanks for sending contributions to her Spirit of the Forest call.

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And one from Steve D. Thankfully all of the snow here has melted, and the temperatures are back to normal. I'm still looking forward to seeing leaves on trees - should be happening in a few weeks.

Spirit of the Forest II

A last-minute entry for Spirit of the Forest, title "Leftovers II".

The Spirit of the Forest blog shows all the art received, as well as photos from the exhibit. I think it is a great subject for mail art, and there are some amazing pieces in the collection.

Mail Art Calls - Parallels, Angels & Demons, Twisted, Malerwinkelhaus, Spirit of the Forest.

For Parallels, in Siberia, made from postage selvage (thanks for the link, Eva!):

And one made of the stick-on mail barcodes the post office uses.

For the 'Twisted' call, a photograph manipulated in photoshop

This one had its own misadventure, and was delivered to me, even though my address was on the back, scrawled in my bad handwriting, and in the 'wrong' direction. I reposted it inside an envelope.

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For the 'Angels & Demons call. The images were taken on my cell phone the same night as the blue image above (lights were part of the band Alt J's concert performance). All the pictures include the exit sign which was distracting/fascinating me through the lights.

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And, spurred on by the beautiful artistamps that are the documentation for the Malerwinkelhaus call blogged by Eva, I sent these in. Jean had suggested this one for me ages ago, and I had set it aside. Nothing like leaving it to the last minute.

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Spirit of the Forest, to be displayed at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester in February, coinciding with a performance of Hansel & Gretel.